Gurumayi Chidvilasananda

A Siddha Guru is a spiritual teacher, a master, whose identification with the supreme Self is uninterrupted. The unique and rare quality of a Siddha Guru is his or her capacity to awaken the spiritual energy, kundalini, in seekers through shaktipat.

Gurumayi Chidvilasananda is a Siddha Guru who walked the path of yoga under the guidance of her Guru, Swami Muktananda. Gurumayi received the power and authority of the Siddha Yoga lineage from Swami Muktananda before he passed away in 1982. She teaches the Siddhas' message that the experience of divine consciousness is attainable in this human body. Gurumayi constantly points us back inside ourselves, where this state is both possible and accessible.

As a Siddha Guru, she carries out her mission of awakening seekers to their own potential for enlightenment by bestowing shaktipat. Through her teachings and her writings and through Siddha Yoga learning and teaching events and study tools, she guides students on this mystical journey toward God, helping them move beyond their own limitations and reach the goal. Gurumayi expresses a great love and reverence for children as the holders of our future and has written books and songs expressly for them.

Her teachings are made available for seekers of all ages, around the world, through the work of the SYDA Foundation. In her Siddha Yoga Message for the year 2003, Gurumayi describes the essence of her vision for all human beings:

In truth, the gift of life must always be recognized and never be taken for granted. Why is life so precious? In Siddha Yoga philosophy, we recognize that in this human life we have a rare opportunity. We can transform an ordinary perception of this universe into an extraordinary vision. To be on this planet and to behold the universe from the divine perspective is a sign of an illumined heart. To put this vision to best use in the best way possible is a human being’s highest duty.

Swami Ramdevji

Revered Swami Ramdevji Maharaj, a celibate since childhood, is well versed in Sanskrit Grammar, Ayurved and Vedic Philosophy. A strong Proponent of Indian cultural values, his services in the field of cow-breeding, research in the field of AYURVED and his practical approach of Yog has won him several thousands of admirers throughout India and made him a living symbol of Indian culture.

His detachment to worldly happiness and devotion to social service has made him a phenomenal character in the saintly world. Revered Swami Shankerdevji Maharaj got him initiated in the ascetic order on the sacred banks of River Ganga.He has taught Ashtadhyayee, Mahabhashya, Upnishads alongwith six systems of Indian Philosophy in a couple of Gurukuls (traditional Indian systems of education). Besides, during his travels in the Himalayan mountains, he performed severe austerities in the caves of Gangotri for the realisation of SELF and acquired several uncommon capabilities.

With the blessings of Revered Swami Shankerdevji Maharaj, he, in assocition with his learned companions, Acharaya Balkrishan Ji Maharaj, a great scholar and famous Ayurvedic physician & others established Divya Yog Mandir (Trust) in 1995 at Kankhal, Hardwar, Uttaranchal, India.

He, while in the sate of Sadhna, has been guiding several service projects of medical, spiritual and educational pursuits through this Trust since then. Revered Swami Ji Maharaj, who have unfurled the flag of Yog on top, cures about two lac patients per month with his spiritual energy in his Yog Camps. More @divyayoga.com

Swami Sivananda

Swami Sivananda, one of the greatest Yoga masters of the 20th century, is the inspiration behind the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centers.
His Early Life

Born in 1887 in Pattamadai, Tamil Nadu, South India, Swami Sivananda whose name was then Kuppuswami, was a brilliant boy at studying as well as gymnastics and naturally inclined toward spiritual and religious practices.
His parents were very devoted to Lord Siva and Kuppuswami was eager to join them twice daily for worship (Puja) and Kirtan (Mantra chanting).
His natural selfless spirit lead him to a career in the medical field. His amazing eagerness and ability to learn and assimilate his studies earned him the respect of his professors who invited him to attend surgeries while still in his first year of medical school.
Dr. Kuppuswami

The young Dr. Kuppuswami felt a strong urge to go to Malaysia where he felt there was great need. In a short time he was given the responsibility of running a hospital. During these years Dr. Kuppuswami was renowned as being both an excellent doctor and a true humanitarian. Very often he waived consultation fees for patients too poor to afford his services and on many occasions provided medicine for free to his neediest patients.

One day Dr. Kuppuswami had the opportunity to cure a wandering Sannyasin (renunciate or Monk) who then gave the doctor instruction on Yoga and Vedanta. From that day on his life changed, and gradually Dr. Kuppuswami became more introspective and could not stop pondering the great questions of life. Now he felt the need to help people on a more profound level, not just healing their physical body, but helping them to find a cure for all suffering.
The Great Sannyasin Swami Sivananda

Filled with a tremendous desire for spiritual growth and enlightenment Kuppuswami went to North India in search of his Guru. After spending time in Varanasi (Banaras) he travelled north to the Himalayas. There in the holy town of Rishikesh (which means "the abode of the sages") Kuppuswami discovered his Guru who gave him Sannyas (a monk's vows of renunciation). After taking these vows, Swami Sivananda Saraswati, as he would be known henceforth, started an extremely intense daily Sadhana (spiritual practices) and Tapas (austerities) for the next 10 years or so. By the end of that period many co-Sadhus felt drawn to Swami Sivananda for his instruction and his spiritual inspiration.
Swami Sivananda, The World Teacher

From that time Swami Sivananda became one of the most prolific Yoga teachers who has ever existed. Although he rarely left the little town of Rishikesh (with only 2 India tours and no visits abroad) Swami Sivananda's teachings spread quickly throughout our entire planet. He personally wrote - by hand, no computers at the time :-) - more than 200 books on topics connected to Yoga and Philosophy. He wrote in a style that is very direct and bursting with dynamic, spiritual energy. As a result many who read his books felt their lives deeply touched and transformed and so came from all of India, all of the world, to learn from him directly, and to bask in his holy presence. The teachings of Master Sivananda are summarized in these 6 words: more @sivananda.org

Yoga Teachers

Yogiraj Bikram Choudhury is the founder of the worldwide Yoga College of India™. Born in Calcutta in 1946, Bikram began Yoga at the age of four with India's most-renowned physical culturist at that time, Bishnu Ghosh, the younger brother of Paramahansa Yogananda (Author of the most popular book on Yoga, The Autobiography of a Yogi, and founder of the Self-Realization Fellowship in Los Angeles).

Bikram practiced Yoga at least four to six hours every day at Ghosh's College of Physical Education in Calcutta. At the age of thirteen, he won the National India Yoga Championship. He was undefeated for the following three years and retired as the undisputed All-India National Yoga Champion.At seventeen, an injury to his knee during a weight-lifting accident brought the prediction from leading European doctors that he would never walk again. Not accepting their pronouncement, he had himself carried back to Bishnu Ghosh's school, for he knew that if anyone could help to heal his knee, it was his teacher. Six months later, his knee had totally recovered. Ghosh was a celebrated physical culturist and the first to scientifically document Yoga's ability to cure chronic physical ailments and heal the body.

Bikram was asked by Ghosh to start several Yoga schools in India. The schools were so successful that at Bishnu's request Bikram traveled to Japan and opened two more. He has since brought his curative methods of Yoga therapy around the world.